This is a great question. There are so many things that could be stated. So, I will offer bullet points to get you started.

The Cultural Revolution was in full swing in the years 1966-1967. This is when Mao rose to power and pretty much took over the country with his ideologies and the Red Guard. In particular, he wanted to restore socialism and oppress capitalism, which he saw as creating great inequalities.

From an educational stand point things can to a screeching halt. For example, college entrance exams were stopped in 1967 and did not resume until ten years later. Also anything foreign in terms of eduction was oppressed.

The only skills that were emphasized was being average. It was a thorough indoctrination of the principles of socialism and there was no emphasis on individualism or personal achievement. What matter was the state and that was it. If this seems unrealistic, it is not. Many educated were relocated to rural areas where they had to do manual labor to live. And many other intellectuals fled the country.

In conclusion, the chief characteristics that were emphasized was obedience to the government, the ideologies of socialism, and the equality of people.